Lionheart
by Checkmate 24601
Summary: "What is it trying to tell me, Onii-chan?"  Sora Inoue had never been more frightened than at that moment when his sister was centimetres of a glass pane away from being mauled by a male lion.


**A/N ** I've having a sudden revival in interest of C. S. Lewis' works, and in particular Aslan, the lion! This is the product of that love combined with Bleach. Oh by the way, it is a true story that a three-year old New Zealand girl Sofia stood up to a lion three times her size. Just Google or Youtube it :)

**Lionheart **

"What's it trying to tell me, Onii-chan?"

All the while, Sora Inoue had never been more terrified than he was at that moment with his three-year old baby sister centimetres of a glass pane away from a giant male lion, trying to paw at her.

"Hime-chan, come back here." He intoned gently, trying to keep to keep the panic out of his voice. He is more than aware of the awe and even slight fear, which unfortunately and inevitably follows such awe, from the surrounding parents and their broods of offspring, inspired by such a charismatic display of courage. _Especially from a tiny three-year old…_

It had been an ordinary Sunday afternoon. Well, perhaps not so ordinary, considering that Sora was going to take Orihime to the nearby zoo. He had managed to set aside enough for their two tickets. The issue of cost had been significantly reduced by the 20% discount the zoo was offering recently. Orihime, who had never begged Sora, unlike other girls her age, for dolls had, though, always displayed a closeness and fondness for animals. (It is telling that Sora's first proper gift for her had been Enraku, the current teddy bear in its place of honour on the cupboard beside Orihime's fairy tale collection.)

Suggesting cheerfully that she will have lots of memories to write about and sketch in art class, Sora had agreed to his younger sister's wishes – _he never really had the heart to deny her since her requests had always been considerate and within reason…_

Having seen the pandas, the monkeys, and the giraffes, it was more out of accident rather than intention that they stumbled onto the lions. Although there is an above ground viewing arena, the hot weather had driven both brother and sister to the underground visitors' viewing space instead. Centimetre-thick glass separated the viewers from the lions. In fact, when Sora and Orihime had ducked under the archway into the directions of 'The Lions' Den', they were confronted with a gaggle of children and their parents.

The source of all the 'oohs' and 'ahhs', the frightened whimpers and tears, and finger-pointing was a male lion broodily staring out at the children. Orihime had been no less entranced than her peers, eagerly rushing up to the glass – almost to the point of pressing her nose against it – with an ease that consternated Sora. He was reminded at that point how _easily _he can lose Orihime – _how easily he could be left behind, left alone – _and just how much of an adventurer his sister was.

"Oh, isn't he _beautiful_, onii-chan?" she had called out, radiant smile blazing in his direction – _a smile just for him, only him_. Her pronunciation of 'beautiful', endearing and indicative of her innocence, made him smile in spite of himself, _in spite of the situation_. She turned back to the lion, which was staring at her now.

Then the lion had struck.

With the glass in between, naturally the lion couldn't reach his _imouto_ but he had pawed continuously at the glass where his sister stood.

While the other children scurried away in fear, she continued to stand in awe at the mighty lion towering heads above her. Sure she threw her hands back in surprise, especially the _second_ time the lion returned to pawing at her after a pause of heavy breathing. But otherwise she did not flinch nor did she physically recoil.

Throughout it all, Sora could only watch. _In horror, in trepidation, and in awe_.

His own reaction to a lion would hardly be the equivalent of his sister's. He could almost understand the horror of the other parents – _how is it possible that a child could find appeal in danger, in a wild and untamable beast? _The key word being _almost. _Knowing Orihime, she did not see an animal with a maul of incisors on four feet; she saw _beauty_ where others saw danger.

She could see _further, _see _beyond _what the ordinary eye could see. And whilst that was a gift in itself, it is also a danger – _a danger because it invites the hostility of those jealous, of those more limited in view, of the skeptics. _This is a gift no different from the Greek Cassandra, who could see into the future. Instead of veneration, she received bitter scorn and ridicule at her prediction of the fall of Troy because of the arrival of the beautiful Helen of Sparta.

For a moment, Sora wondered '_Which is Orihime: Cassandra or Helen of Troy?_

His hand finally grasping her tiny shoulder, Sora released a breath he did not he was withholding.

"Come back now, Hime-chan. It's late. We should go home." Orihime gave him a pleading pout, but he was adamant that they leave. Taking his other hand while burrowing into his side, they walked away from the lion side by side.

"Bye bye, lion!" Orihime called back, before she was led away.

Nodding with an absent smile at the marveling parents and spectators, Sora grimaced as he thought he spied a video recorder. It brought him no cheer when the zookeeper had reassured him belatedly that the lion would not have hurt Orihime. _"Both times throughout pawing at her, his jaw had been shut, Sir. She was not in any danger. … You have a very brave daughter though." _He did not bother to correct the common misunderstanding.

Sora thought back at the day's events as he currently tucked Orihime in for bed. His little sister would go far, is an adventurer at heart while he would – _could_ – only call her to '_come back'_. She is brave, braver than he would ever be.

A lionheart. Despite her small frame, she is a valiant lionheart.

_And they say, 'Fortune favours the brave'. _

**A/N **So what do you think? Please review! *roar*

I do not own Bleach. 


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